Softball Headline

Sunday February 8, 2009Softball Drops Game Three to Baylor, 1-0

No. 1/1 University of Florida lost the finale of a three-game series with Baylor, 1-0, Sunday
afternoon in front of a crowd of over 1,000 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
Despite giving up one hit and retiring the first 13 batters she faced, Florida senior right-hander Stacey Nelson (Los Alamitos, Calif.) (1-1) took the loss
as the Gators were held scoreless for the first time since last year’s Women’s
College World Series loss to Texas A&M.

The Gators
(2-1, 0-0 SEC) only managed three hits off freshman hurler Whitney Canion, who
pitched seven scoreless innings for the Bears (1-2, 0-0 Big 12) and struck out
10.

In the top
of the fifth, the Bears got to Nelson when she gave up her only hit of the day
to catcher Courtney Oberg on a line drive to left field. Pinch running for
Oberg, Sophia Lujan moved to third on a throwing error by Nelson, and two
batters later scored on a fielding error by sophomore shortstop Megan Bush
(Anaheim Hills, Calif.).

The Gators
failed to answer in the bottom of the fifth after Bush led off with a single to
left and pinch runner Le-Net Franklin (Belton, Texas) stole second.

In the
sixth inning Nelson came back strong, retiring the Bears 1-2-3 on two
strikeouts and a dribbler back to the mound. But in the home half of the
inning, the Orange and Blue could not capitalize on a two-out single up the
middle by junior left-fielder Francesca Enea (Woodland Hills, Calif.).

The Gators’
biggest threat came in the first when senior center fielder Kim Waleszonia
(Fontana, Calif.) lead off with a single to left. Sophomore second baseman Aja
Paculba (Wildomar, Calif.) moved Waleszonia over to second and was safe at
first on a hit-and-run fielder’s choice. Senior first baseman Ali Gardiner
laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position, but Canion
was able to quiet the Gator bats, forcing Enea to foul out and sophomore Tiffany
DeFelice (Coral Springs, Fla.) to strikeout.

“Overall, I
think give Baylor a lot of credit,” Florida head coach TimWalton
said. “[Canion] did a great job. She’s really good and kept us off balance
all day.”

The Gators
are in action again in Jacksonville on Wednesday, Feb. 11 for a one-game stand
against JU at 5 p.m.